Jack Gibbens
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Recent Patriots signing K.J. Britt has been labeled the perfect replacement for Jack Gibbens
The New England Patriots may have just made a surprise run to Super Bowl LX, but that hasn’t stopped the front office from turning over the roster. The Pats have brought several new faces to town early in free agency, while also letting several of their own players leave, some of which have been relatively unexpected departures.
The latest move in the latter category saw linebacker Jack Gibbens sign a two-year deal with the Arizona Cardinals after visiting the team on Monday. While the departure of Gibbens seemingly creates a hole on the depth chart for New England, one team insider was quick to point out that his replacement may already be on the roster.
K.J. Britt Set to Replace Jack Gibbens for Patriots in 2026
Mike Reiss
“Dr. Gibby” relocates his practice to Arizona.
The Cardinals announce the signing of LB Jack Gibbens to a 2-year deal after the Patriots didn’t tender Gibbens as a restricted free agent.
Former Dolphins LB K.J. Britt a top option to fill Gibbens’ void on defense/special teams.
Gibbens was part of the Patriots’ free agent haul last offseason, and he filled a big role with the team in 2025. Playing in all 17 games (eight of which saw him start), Gibbens racked up 81 tackles, one sack, four pass breakups, and one forced fumble. He saw his role expand down the stretch of the season as Robert Spillane struggled with a handful of injuries.
With Gibbens set for restricted free agency, it seemed like New England would have the inside track when it came to keeping him in town. Instead, Gibbens was non-tendered, as he and the Pats couldn’t come to terms on a new deal. That led him to Arizona, where he could be set to earn starting snaps come Week 1.
Losing Gibbens hurts, especially since the Patriots released Jahlani Tavai earlier in the offseason. However, the team did sign former Miami Dolphins linebacker K.J. Britt before losing Gibbens, and, according to team insider Mike Reiss of ESPN, he appears to be the top option to replace the outgoing Gibbens on both defense and special teams moving forward.
“‘Dr. Gibby’ relocates his practice to Arizona. The Cardinals announce the signing of LB Jack Gibbens to a 2-year deal after the Patriots didn’t tender Gibbens as a restricted free agent,” Reiss wrote in a post on X. “Former Dolphins LB K.J. Britt a top option to fill Gibbens’ void on defense/special teams.”
Is K.J. Britt the Proper Replacement for Jack Gibbens?
Jack Gibbens
GettyRecent Patriots signing K.J. Britt has been labeled the perfect replacement for Jack Gibbens
Britt latched on with N.E. on a one-year contract earlier this offseason after spending last year with the Miami Dolphins. While he played in all 17 games, he drew only one start. In 2024, though, Britt started 11 of the 14 games he played in for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, racking up 72 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and one pass breakup.
While he doesn’t have as much experience playing on the defensive side of the ball as Gibbens, Britt appears to be a solid replacement for him. Beyond that, he’s on a cheaper deal, so if the Pats can get a similar level of production from him, that will have to be considered a win. Moving on from Gibbens is tough, but these are the sorts of decisions front offices across the league have to make every offseason if they want to achieve their main goal of winning a Super Bowl.